Skip to main content

Featured

A Decade After Her Rise Misty Copeland Shifts The World of Ballet Once Again

 For maybe two months I’d have random moments of quick thoughts. Although quick, they were important. They were worth pondering in my mind because, whenever it actually came true, it’d mean things in dance, things in ballet are really changing. Those quick, repetitive thoughts were about the retirement of Misty Danielle Copeland.  Today was the today. Today is when I actually read the news. Although I’d been having thoughts of the inevitable, reading that NY Times headline made me feel more mentally prepared than I assumed. Allow me to explain. I recognize the retirement of Misty Copeland, just about on the heels of Gillian Murphy's, to be an announcement of a monumental shift in ballet. When I was a high school dancer, the most beautiful dancers— the dancers I looked up to, seemed to dance forever. While companies are looking younger and social media is hailing as a prominent stimulant to detect and experience true artistry, the turning of the tide is truly here.  I’ll b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Technique vs Entertainment

Tonight I have a think piece for you.


Has the the thought of being entertaining  crept up— overriding proper technique? It seems some manner of conversation exchanges being entertained for proper body alignment and execution. 


What do most people consider entertaining? Lots of turns. “Whacked out” legs? In bringing all genres of dance to the Instagram world I’ve found that even in a technique like Classical Ballet, the turns make me feel absolutely nothing if an emotional foundation was not built. Body intelligence and awareness of the work all come across on stage and through the dancer when they have understanding. 


What is there to understand?  The work, your respect for the craft, why you are choosing to dance, your body in connection with the choreography…

Comments

Post a Comment